Twilio Authy

Twilio's free Authy service makes securing your website and applications with two-factor authentication just about as easy as it can be. It does everything Google Authenticator can do, and more.

By PCMag Australia PCMag Australia

13 Jun 2018, 3:24 p.m.

Twilio's free Authy service makes securing your website and applications with two-factor authentication just about as easy as it can be. It does everything Google Authenticator can do, and more.

Main Window

You can use Twilio Authy to generate two-factor authentication codes anywhere you can use Google Authenticator. However, Authy goes beyond Google Authenticator in many ways.

Authy Desktop Setup

Once you've configured your smartphone to act as an authentication token, you can install Authy on other devices. Here it's being installed on a Windows computer.

Master Password

The desktop Authy application lets you protect your local data with a master password, but doesn't require it. If you use Authy on the desktop, be sure to add a master password.

Authentication in Chrome

From the Chrome extension, you can view the current authentication code for any site and even copy it to the clipboard for easy entry. However, two-factor purists may not approve of sidestepping authentication via smartphone.

Phishing Alert

One virtue of having Authy and your browser running on the same device is that Authy can determine the active website. If it doesn't match the code you're trying to use, Authy displays a phishing alert.

Account Protection

On a smartphone, you can limit access to the Authy app using a PIN. Those using modern iPhones can upgrade to authentication via Touch ID.

Device Management

From the Authy app you can view all of your connected devices and, if necessary, remove a device from the sync process. .